Gilded Lily(37)

“If I choose?”

“Yes. I believe my poppet is rather fond of you, and if you’d be willing to explore the situation, I’d be more than happy to help out.” Tony held his breath. Would Adam be willing to at least see what Lily needed?

Adam contemplated the offer. “Explore Lily, you mean?”

“Yes, my good man.” Tony tried to make light of the delicate subject. “Explore Lily.” Tony took a long puff from the expensive cigar. “And there is much to discover if you’re willing.”

“Does Lily know about this?”

“She’s been waiting, Adam. Now, do you wish to play the game?”

“Did my brother? Play the game, I mean.”

“He wasn’t able to.” Tony turned away from Adam. If he didn’t know about Nicholas’s preference, it wasn’t his place to tell Adam about it. “He had other needs.”

“And what makes you think I’m right for her?”

“I don’t know if you are.” Tony flicked the white ashes from the end of the cigar before turning back to him. “That’s what we’re going to find out. What do you want most, Adam? To control another human being for your own pleasure? What did you learn in those clubs by watching a pretend scene where the end result was a random guy coming all over some woman’s face? Tell me, Adam, is that what you want, or would you rather have the real thing, the truth?”

“I want her. Since the first letter Nick sent describing the woman in his life, all I could think about was what her voice would sound like. Did her skin smell like flowers? You ask me what I want the most. Her, Tony. I only want her.” Adam’s answer exploded from him before Tony had the chance to take another puff from the cigar.

Tony blew the gray smoke from between his lips. “Then take her, my friend.”





Chapter Six

Adam and Tony walked up onto the porch. Adam leaned against the pillar, watching Lily as she adjusted in the wicker chair. Somehow she looked so small curled up with her legs tucked under her ass. He could still make out the round slope of her hip under the oversized sweater and skirt. He wanted to reach out and grip the generous curve, to pull her waist close and rub the front of his jeans against her.

“Find anything interesting?” Lily asked. “Where did you guys go?”

“I showed Adam your bathtub,” Tony said.

She was obviously annoyed by the notion. “Why did you do that?”

“Because, poppet, I wanted him to see how you spend some of your afternoons.”

Adam quickly looked back and forth between Lily and Tony. Shit, she looked pissed.

“He doesn’t care how I spend my time, Tony. Besides, you know that’s a private place for me.”

“I…um, I…” Adam stuttered to find the right words. “I promise not to bother you there.”

She glared at Tony. “Thank you, Adam. That was a gift from Nicholas, and I cherish it.”

“Adam has agreed to stay for a little while longer tonight,” Tony said directly to Lily, almost seeming to forget Adam was standing right beside him. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind,” she said and rested her hands behind her back. Adam liked the soft blush coloring her cheeks.

“Good. Now let’s get you some rope.”

Adam registered the details in a flash. The marks, the rope, the way Lily followed Tony. He might have been a little drunk from the Scotch and wine, but he wasn’t a fucking idiot. He had no idea what was about to happen. He wasn’t naive either. The thought of watching S&M live with Lily as the main attraction made his dick hard.

“Tony, no. Please not now.” She wrung her hands together as tears swam in the ocean of her beautiful blue eyes.

“It’s okay, Lily,” Adam tried to assure her in a soft voice. “I want to watch you.”

“No, Adam, you don’t.” The tears fell. “You think you do, but you don’t. Please, Tony.”

“Poppet.” Tony cradled her against his firm chest, wiping her moist cheeks. “Don’t worry. Adam won’t run away.” He kept his focus on Lily’s face. “Will you, Adam?”

Adam cleared his throat. “No, Lily. I won’t run away. I promise.” Was she panicking inside as much as he was? He wasn’t sure what to expect. One thing he knew for sure was that whatever happened, he wouldn’t abandon her.

Tony left them standing alone while he went inside the house. Adam watched as her eyes focused on everything but him. He, however, couldn’t care less about what was around him. He only wanted to stare at her as she fidgeted with the cuffs of her oversize sweater. She looked so scared and so beautiful at the same time. Soon, Tony was back on the porch with a long rope dangling from his fist.